It can’t really be called a snub, because he will no doubt earn a spot when the league announces the reserves, but for the first time since 2007, center Dwight Howard was not voted an All-Star starter by the fans.

Howard was beaten out for a Western Conference starting role by a late push from Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, who trailed Howard by 26,000 votes after the third returns of fan balloting. Love wound up edging Howard by just 8,000 votes.

Howard has long been popular with fans, but after a disastrous departure from Orlando and a miserable season with the Lakers, that goodwill has eroded. The NBA also changed its balloting procedures before last season, allowing three forwards to be chosen, instead of two forwards and a center. That hurt Howard’s chances. He led the NBA in All-Star fan votes in 2009 (topping 3 million voted) and 2012, but received just 653,000 votes this year.

Love joins a frontcourt of Blake Griffin and Kevin Durant, who, along with first-time All-Star Stephen Curry, are marking a changing of the guard out West. Those four are all 25 years old or younger (Griffin is 24), and were drafted from 2007 on.

The dean of the West remains Kobe Bryant, voted in despite playing only six games because of an injury to his Achilles' tendon, followed by a knee injury. Bryant has said he won’t play in the game, which means the league will eventually pick a replacement.

In the East, the leading vote-getter was, to no one’s surprise, Heat star LeBron James, who led all players with 1.4 million. On his heels was Pacers forward Paul George, who logged 1.2 million votes, third behind James and Durant. A rather diminutive East forward group will be rounded out by Carmelo Anthony, giving the conference three small forwards up front.

Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving were voted in as East starters in the backcourt. Wade has had trouble with his knees and has missed 12 games this season, leaving open the possibility that he, too, won’t play in the All-Star game.